Method of arranging the keys in pianofortes



UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

JOHN DWIGHT AND DANIEL B. NEWHALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD OF ARRANGING THE KEYS IN PIANOFORTES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 2,081, dated May 6, 1841.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOHN Dwiorrr and DANIEL B. NEWI-IALL, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have jointly invented, made, and applied to use new and useful Improvements in Pianofortes by curving the Front Ends of the Keys and Arranging Them on a Curved Line; and we do hereby declare that the following is an exact description and specification of our joint improvements, references being had to the plates annexed, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents an oblique perspective view of the piano forte, having the front board raised, and turned back, showing the keys in their curved position; and Fig. 2 represents a geometrical or birds eye view of the instrument having the whole top or lid removed, showing the entire bed of keys at A, the back block at C, the head plate at Gr, and the edge of the curved front board 6, b.

The nature and character of our improvements are to facilitate the execution of music on the piano forte, and other keyed instruments, particularly when the bed of keys is long, consisting of six,seven ormore octaves a performer is enabled to reach the extreme keys more conveniently, to finger with greater facility, and to sit in and sustain a more easy and graceful attitude. The keys seemingly come and adapt themselves to the fingers, rather than the performer, to distort himself by striving to apply his fingers to the keys. A person performing on a bed of keys made straight in front, and having occasion, to reach the extreme octaves either to the right or left or both at the same time, is necessitated to incline the body to the right or left, and to raise the arms, and throw out the elbows, at the same time, in order to bring the thumbs and fourth fingers, upon their keys, which causes the performer much inconvenience in fingering, and to take and exhibit a disagreeable attitude; but all these difficulties are removed by the curved keys.

To enable mechanics skilled in the art of making piano fortes, to make them on our plan, we invite their attention to the following description and directions. First, cut and fit the front of the key board, to a curved line as shown at A, Fig. 1. curvature is concave to the player being made a section of a circle of six or seven feet in diameter, as fancy and convenience may dictate. The keys are out diverging like radii, from the center of the circle, till they pass under the front board B, Fig. 1, and then become parallel, .to the center key, and so pass back near to the back block C, as K K, Fig. 2. The center keyis straight. The front board B, Fig. 1, and b, I), Fig. 2, and the front part of the case are all curved, and made parallel to the front ends of the keys, so that they are all adapted to each other; and that the instrument may exhibit a more symmetrical appearance, the bed of keys is placed equally distant from each end of the case as in Fig. 1. The curved keys are adapted not only to piano fortes, but to organs and other keyed instruments.

What we claim as our joint invention and improvements is The concave curvature of the bed of keys in front as herein described.

In testimony that the above is a true specification and description of our joint improvements, we have hereunto set our hands, this thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty one.

JOHN D'WIGHT. D. B. NEWHALL.

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